From Teammate to Opponent

Elvis Dumervil will make his return to Sports Authority Field at Mile High. He'll just be in the visitor's locker room.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- One aspect of Thursday night's game is going to feel a little, well, strange.

After seven seasons in orange and blue, Elvis Dumervil will be wearing purple for his return to Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

"Real strange," team captain Wesley Woodyard said of the now-Baltimore Raven. "Me and Elvis, we shared the same seats on the plane at away games. He was like a big brother to me, but just like little brothers get a chance to face their big brothers, they’re ready to fight, put up a fight and get a victory.”

“Just seeing him with a different team, it’s weird to watch because I’m just used to seeing him in our uniform," Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase echoed. "But he’s a good player and we’ll be ready for him.”

Dumervil told the Baltimore media that it will feel "definitely different" going into the visiting team's locker room Thursday, but he's anxious for the matchup.

"It’s going to be competitive, and it’s all about competition," he said Sunday. "So, I’m sure they’ll want a piece of us, and I’m sure I’m going to want a piece of them.”

So far for the Ravens, Dumervil has notched three tackles and one quarterback hit during the preseason from his outside linebacker position. Quarterback Peyton Manning said it's "hard to say" exactly how the Ravens will use the pass rusher come Thursday, but he knows the type of playmaker that the former Broncos captain can be, having played against him as an Indianapolis Colt.

Tackle Ryan Clady has plenty of experience as well, having gone against the three-time Pro Bowler in training camps and practices since 2008.

“He’s a good player in this league and he’s definitely a challenge," he said. "I’m looking forward to the challenge and just playing my game, seeing if I can get the best of him.”

Dumervil will be trying to get after Manning, who he called "a tough guy to bring down."

Meanwhile, the Broncos pass rush will be looking to do the same to Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

Flacco said in his conference call with the Denver media that he has no doubts about the Broncos pass rush, even with Dumervil now on the other side and Von Miller suspended for the first of six games to start the season.

“They’ve got a bunch of great guys,” Flacco said. “You guys have (LB Shaun) Phillips over there playing now and playing pretty well. We still expect a really, really good defense and guys that can get after the passer, guys that can play in the back-end.”

He pointed out that the consistency and depth on the Broncos defense poses the same challenge that it did a season ago.

“We know how good these guys were last year,” he added. “We realize that they’ve lost two guys there that were pretty important, but at the same time they were good for a reason and that’s because they had consistency all across the board. And we expect that.”

Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh agreed with Flacco’s assessment.

“The Broncos are still the Broncos and they’re going to put 11 excellent players on the field and they’re going to put pass rushers out there who can rush the passer,” he said in a conference call.

Those 11 just no longer include Dumervil.

“We have great respect for Elvis. Elvis did a lot of great things. I appreciate him a lot," Fox said. "I wish him all the best -- except this week.”

As for the reception he'll receive from the Mile High faithful, Dumervil said he's not sure what to expect.